Restorative responses to adverse events (31 January 2024)

Summary

A common theme of recent international inquiries is that well intentioned investigations often make things worse. Harm is compounded when we fail to listen, validate and respond to the rights and needs of all the people involved. When lengthy processes do not result in meaningful action, suffering can be exacerbated and result in further damage to wellbeing, relationships, and trust. At its worst, compounded harm produces undesirable outcomes such as a community believing an essential service is unsafe, or a clinician leaving their profession.

In considering how best to respond, it is important to remember that health systems are comprised of people and relationships, as well as rules and processes. Once we think about safety as a human and relational approach, rather than one that only seeks to lessen risk and enforce regulation, we can consider how to best proceed. Whether an act is intentional or not, a dignifying approach involves working together to repair the harm involved. Restorative responses are ideal for this purpose, as Jo Wailling, Co-chair of the National Collaborative for Restorative Initiatives in Health Aotearoa New Zealand, explains in this blog on the Patient Safety Commissioner website.